Sweet Potato Rounds with Everything But The Bagel Seasoning →

Fall and winter entertaining is here, which means lots and lots of food! Last year I found myself serving the same appetizer of a charcuterie board (which I love) but I wanted to mix it up a bit this year. We do a lot of hosting, so having easy go-to recipes ideas on hand is key. I recently tried this simple appetizer of sweet potato rounds with Everything But The Bagel Seasoning, and it turned out so good! I used three simple ingredients of white sweet potatoes, the ever so popular Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel Seasoning, and olive oil. It makes for such a fast and easy appetizer that also won’t fill you up too much!

I love using white sweet potatoes in this recipe, but you can certainly use orange sweet potatoes! If you don’t live near a Trader Joe’s, they sell the Nothing But The Bagel Seasoning on Amazon as well.

The key to the sweet potato rounds is cutting them in an even width. I cut them in about 1/2 inch rounds and it worked perfectly.

As the sweet potato rounds are baking, it smells almost like a bagel shop in your kitchen because of the seasoning! It smells amazing!

You can serve this appetizer as is, or you can also add in a dipping sauce. To keep it healthy I used Primal Kitchen Ranch Dressing as a dip but you could also make a homemade ranch, katchup, mustard and the list goes on! You could also serve these along side burgers, on top of a warm fall salad, or just as an afternoon snack.

If you are feeding a crowd over 4 people, I would suggest doubling the recipe. I hope you enjoy it!

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Sweet Potato Rounds with Nothing But The Bagel Seasoning Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch rounds

• 2 Tbs. olive oil

• Nothing But The Bagel Seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch rounds. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes and the olive oil to coat.

3. On a large baking sheet, arrange the sweet potato rounds in a single layer.

4. Bake the sweet potato rounds for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip each round. Sprinkle each round with desired amount of seasoning.

5. Lightly spray non-stick spray over the rounds (optional), and place back in the oven for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

This recipe was adapted from this original recipe

Cashew Butter & Fig Toast

It seems everywhere I turn, there is a toast craze going on! Avocado toast has become a permanent fixture on many restaurant menus. I love avocado toast and could eat it every day but I decided to do a take on the classic peanut butter and jelly flavor combination. I used cashew butter and fresh figs and the results were incredibly delicious! I also topped it off with a drizzle of honey and Maldon sea salt to give it that sweet and savory flavor combination. During the summer months, I am always looking for easy breakfast and snack ideas, and this one is perfect!

Since the fig season here in California is rather short, I couldn't resist these when I saw a fresh basket at my farmers market. I have been adding them to everything from this toast, to salads, to cheese plates.

If you are doing any upcoming entertaining, you could to set out a "toast bar" for people to make their own. A basket of rustic bread, and all the fixings make it not only a cute display but also such an easy and delicious menu item. 

I started by slicing up a rustic loaf of bread and lightly toasting it. From there, I spread an even layer of the cashew butter and topped it with the sliced figs, honey and Maldon sea salt. It comes together in minutes!

Of course as I was just getting in the zone of shooting this blog post, our puppy woke up from her nap and quickly discovered that she wanted to be my little "helper" in the kitchen! ;) I might not have ended up getting all the shots I wanted for this post but the silver lining was that we had so much fun even if I had to tell her to get off the table a million times! 

I would love to hear if you make this toast recipe or if you want to share any of your favorite toasts recipes! Be sure to comment below or on my Instagram. Enjoy! 

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Cashew Butter and Fig Toast Recipe

Ingredients:

• Loaf rustic bread (or favorite bread)
• Raw cashew Butter
• 3-5 fresh gigs, sliced 
• Raw honey
• Maldon sea salt

Directions:

1. Slice loaf of bread in 1 inch thickness and lightly toast. Spread an even layer of cashew butter, followed by a layer of sliced figs. Top with a drizzle of honey and maldon sea salt. Serve and enjoy!

Blistered Tomato, Burrata & Pesto Flatbread

The warmth of summer is here and I couldn't be happier about it! As sad as I am to see the spring season go, I am looking forward to the easy living the Summer months provide. We recently added a golden retriever puppy to our family, so in between keeping up with her and our work schedules, I am always looking for simple yet delicious dinner ideas. This recipe was inspired by my recent trip to our farmer's market where I was so excited to see the most beautiful tomatoes and bundles of fresh basil. This blistered tomato, burrata and pesto flatbread comes together in minutes and is loaded with amazing flavor. 

When you use quality ingredients, you don't need to add a lot to them. I used a mix of fresh cherry tomatoes, sliced shallots and drizzled them with olive oil and Maldon sea salt. If you are making this for a party, you could do this step ahead of time and then just reheat them right before placing them on the flatbread.

I blended up a fresh batch of pesto for this recipe but you could certainly use a jar of store bought pesto. I could eat it by the spoonful ;)

The smell you get from the blistered tomatoes is amazing! It always reminds me of when I'm shopping in a William Sonoma store. Have you ever noticed how amazing it always smells in that store?

Assembling the flatbread is so simple. I spread a few spoonfuls of the pesto on top of the flatbread, added torn pieces of the burrata cheese, and topped it with the blistered tomatoes. For a little kick, I also added a few red pepper flakes. I can't even tell you how incredible this flavor combination is! 

This flatbread is perfect as an appetizer for a summer party or it makes for an amazing easy dinner served along side a summer salad. It can also easily be altered to fit any dietary restrictions with a gluten free crust, dairy free cheese, etc.  

I hope you add this recipe to your summer menu! I would love to hear what some of your favorite summer recipes are, so be sure to comment below or on my Instagram :)

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Blistered Tomato, Burrata & Pesto Flatbread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 flatbread OR 1/2 pound pizza dough
• 2 cups fresh burrata cheese, torn into pieces
• 1/2 cup pesto 
• 1 cup blistered cherry tomatoes
• Maldon sea salt
• cracked black pepper
• crushed red pepper flakes to garnish

Blistered Tomatoes:

• 1 cup cheery tomatoes
• 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• Maldon sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the broiler. In a medium baking dish, toss the cherry tomatoes, shallot and olive oil and season with Maldon sea salt and cracked black pepper. Place under the broiler for about 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes pop and are lightly brown. 
2. Preheat the oven to 400 (450 degrees for pizza dough) degrees. Place the flatbread on a baking sheet and lightly brush olive oil on top. Bake for 3-5 minutes (for pizza dough 8-12 minutes) till golden. Remove from oven and top with pesto and torn fresh burrata cheese. Let the burrata melt (can place back in the oven for a minute to speed up the process) before topping with the blistered tomatoes. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes (optional). Slice and enjoy! 

Roasted Beet & Carrot Salad With Burrata

Since moving back to Northern California, my husband and I are thoroughly enjoying the Fall season! While living in Southern California, we didn't realize how much we missed the changing of the leaves, crisp mornings and nights, and enjoying all of the yummy seasonal produce. When we were at the farmers market this past weekend, it was hard to miss all of the gorgeous beets and carrots. Their colors alone screamed fall. I had been craving easy, delicious and healthy fall side dishes, and I knew these beets and carrots would be perfect topped with creamy burrata cheese and pepitas!

I have found myself roasting any and all veggies this fall season. There is something so comforting and simple about them. What I love most about roasting beets and carrots is the slight earthyness and sweetness you get from them. I drizzled them with some olive oil and seasoned them with sea salt before popping them into the oven.

While the vegetables were roasting, I made a very simple vinaigrette to pour over the top of the salad once it was assembled. I also sauteed the beet greens in a pan so that they were slightly wilted. I had never actually eaten the beet greens before, and they were a nice component to this dish. You could also use chard or spinach if you prefer.

I love putting this dish on a big platter and layering the ingredients starting with the beet greens and topping it all off with the burrata and pepitas. It makes for a beautiful presentation. 

This dish pairs well with just about anything! We enjoyed it along side some herb chicken for a simple rainy night meal. It would also be great on your Thanksgiving table perhaps with a cup of soup or on its own for a vegetarian meal with a loaf of crusty bread. 

I hope you give this incredibly yummy and nourishing dish a try this fall or winter season! 

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Roasted Beet & Carrot Salad with Burrata Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 red beets with tops
• 3 golden beets with tops
• 6 carrots, cut in half lengthwise
• Burrata Cheese torn into bitesize pieces 
• Pepitas or pumpkin seeds
• olive oil
• Salt and Pepper 

Dressing Ingredients:

• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 Tbs. champagne vinegar (or other white wine vinegar)
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 1 small shallot, finely diced 
• 1 tsp. thyme, minced 
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the tops of the beets, reserving the beet greens. Cut the ribs of the greens off, and cut the beet greens into bitesize pieces. Set the greens aside.
3. Scrub the beets clean. Half and slice the beets into about 1/4 inch thick slices. Keep the red beets separate from the rest of the vegetables if you don't want the colors to bleed.
4. Spread the vegetables in an even layer on sheet pans. Again, keeping the red beets separate if you don't want the colors to bleed. Roast in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until they are fork tender and browned.
5. In the meantime, combine the vinaigrette dressing ingredients. Whisk to combine and set aside.
6. With a few minutes remaining in the vegetable cook time, heat a skillet over medium with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the beet greens and lightly sautee for a few minutes, until they are slightly wilted. Trasfer to a platter.
7. Layer the beets and carrots over the beet greens. Using your hands, break bite size pieces of the burrata cheese and place over the vegetables. Drizzle the dressing and top with fresh thyme and pepitas. Serve the salad warm or cold and enjoy! 

Pear and Walnut Focaccia Bread

This past week my husband and I finally had the opportunity to explore our new local farmers market. It is still pretty warm in California but we have had a mix of warm days with a slight chill in the in air. As we were walking there, we both looked at each other and said, "we're ready for Fall!" Much to our surprise, there was a vendor at the farmer's market exclusively selling pears. We knew they had to be good, so we picked up a few to take home and try. The pears were incredible on their own but I wanted to try them in a new Fall recipe. This pear and walnut focaccia bread turned out incredible and it also makes your house smell exactly like Fall when it's cooking. 

I found that using ripe but not overly ripened pears works best so it doesn't make the dough too soggy. 

The mix of the pears, walnuts and thyme and the cinnamon sugar make for the perfect salty-sweet combination. I added some Maldon finishing salt when I took it out of the oven and it was over the top! You could certainly leave off the cinnamon sugar for a more savory bread. 

Although this recipe may look fancy, it was super easy to make! I bought already prepared pizza dough from Trader's Joe's, which is a great short cut without compromising on flavor. 

Making a fist, dimple the dough and sprinkle the walnuts into the indentations. Then you can layer on the thyme and pears and sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar mixture.

If you want your house to smell amazing before company arrives, pop this bread into the oven a few minutes before, and you will definitely impress them when they walk in the door!

Baking it in the cast iron skillet allows you to get the most amazing golden crust without drying out the bread. The pears get slightly softened and the cinnoman sugar bakes into the dough. 

You could serve it for a brunch, afternoon snack, with a bowl of soup or salad, as an appetizer or dessert. To give it more sweetness, you could add a drizzle of honey. Or, if you wanted to make it more savory, you could serve it a long with some gorgonzola or blue cheese. The possibilities are endless, and I can't wait to hear how you serve it!

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Pear and Walnut Focaccia Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 package of Trader Joe's plain pizza dough (or 1 pound of your favorite pizza dough)
• 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
• 2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
• 1-2 firm but ripe pears, sliced into thin wedges (about a 1/2 inch. thick)
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnomon 
• Sprinkle of Maldon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. 
2. With slight greased hands, remove the pizza dough from the package and place it on a lightly floured surface for about 20-30 minutes. 
3. Lightly grease the bottom of a 9 inch cast iron skillet. Place the dough into the skillet and evenly spread it on the skillet. With light greased hands, dimple the dough creating small indentations. Place walnut pieces into the indent, then sprinkle the thyme evenly over the dough. Arrange the pears evenly over the dough.
4. Combine the cinnamon and sugar, and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the pears and dough. 
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges are crisp and the top is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature for best results. 

Please note: The bread is best enjoyed right after it is baked. However, if you have leftovers, you can put it under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp it up. Enjoy!

Watermelon, Cucumber and Feta Salad

My current Summer obsession is salads! But not just your typical lettuce and veggies, although you can never go wrong with that. I had a watermelon left over from the 4th of July holiday, so I sliced it up with some fresh cucumbers, feta cheese and mint and it cured my salad cravings. It is perfect for lunch on a hot day or BBQ out on the patio for dinner.

I started by scoring the watermelon on the diagonal and then horizonally, which created 1 inch cubes. I also cut up the cucumber and feta cheese into 1 inch cubes so all of the ingredients were about the same in size. 

This salad is amazing because it comes together so quickly! Once all of the ingredients were chopped up, I thinly sliced mint and made a vinaigrette dressing to top the salad with. 

I love all of the flavor you get from the liberal amount of freshly ground pepper and the fresh mint. This salad has the perfect balance of salty sweet. 

This recipe makes enough for two, so my husband and I enjoyed it along side some grilled chicken for dinner and it was amazing! You could certainly double or triple the recipe for a crowd. 

We have had a busy Summer so far with lots of time on the road, entertaining guests and enjoying the sunshine. It's nice to have this simple recipe at our fingertips for a quick yet satisfying meal. I had a moment today where I was feeling ready for the Fall season, and then I remembered we are not even halfway through the Summer and I better enjoy it while it lasts! Anyone else get that itch for the next season to begin? Regardless, be sure to add this to your Summer recipe rotation :)

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Watermelon, Cucumber and Feta Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of watermelon, cut into 1 inch cubes 
• 1 seedless cucumber, cut into 1 inch cubes 
• 1 cup feta cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes 
• 2 Tbs. fresh mint, thinly sliced
• 3 Tbs. white balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Cut the watermelon, cucumber and feta cheese into 1 inch cubes. Thinly slice mint. Add all ingredients to a large bowl.
2. Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Pour over the ingredients and toss until well combined. 
3. Place in the refrigerator and let sit for 10-15 minutes for the flavors to blend. 
4. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve immediately. 

Grilled Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad

We were greeted with a heat wave to kick off the first official days of summer here in California. Are you getting the heat where you are? It seems as though any lingering gloomy weather has disappeared and the heat is here to stay. All of which led me to create this amazingly easy and fresh grilled corn, tomato and avocado salad. These few simple ingredients are transformed into the perfect salad to serve at a BBQ or to keep on hand for an easy lunch or dinner during the summer months. 

I always get so excited when the produce at the farmers market changes with the seasons. I found this fresh white corn at my local farmers market and I love the way it tastes in this dish. It gives it a nice crunch and slight sweetness. You could certainly use fresh yellow corn as well. 

Tomatoes are also a summer staple in our house! There really is nothing like having vine ripe tomatoes to put in a summer salad.

Once I gathered and washed all of the produce, this salad comes together very quickly! I simply grilled the corn for a few minutes so that it got a little char but I didn't cook it all the way so it remained tender and crisp. 

I also had some fresh mozzarella cheese on hand and since I am a big fan of adding cheese to my salads, I just had to add it! Feta cheese would also be amazing. 

What you end up with, is the perfect mix of summer flavors, a nice crunch from the corn and slight creaminess from the avocado and cheese. The best part about this salad is that you can make it ahead of time (add the avocado before serving) and you don't have to heat up the kitchen to make it! 

My husband and I enjoyed this along side some freshly grilled salmon and it was amazing! I also packed up some for a BBQ and put it in my favorite jars. It was not only easy to make and transport, but everyone loved the individual servings! 

I hope you give this recipe a try this summer! I would love to hear what some of your favorite summer recipes are, so be sure to comment below or on my Instagram :) 

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Grilled Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad Recipe
 

Ingredients:

• 4 ears of corn, husked
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 avocados, diced
• 1 cup diced mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped 
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbs. red wine vinegar 
• Maldon salt and fresh cracked pepper 

Directions:

1. Shuck the ears of corn and brush lightly with olive oil. 
2. Grill the corn for about 5-7 minutes, turning often until slightly charred. Cool the corn and cut it from the cobs. 
3. Whisk the olive oil and red wine vinegar in a bowl to blend. 
4. In a medium bowl combine the tomatoes, avocados, and mozzarella cheese with the cooled corn. Add the chopped cilantro. 
5. Pour the olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing over the salad. Sprinkle with freshly cracked pepper and salt to taste. Toss to combine.

Grilled Asparagus and Caprese Salad

Recently I have found myself wanting to cook healthier meals that have simple yet quality ingredients. I think it has something to do with the warmer temperatures and the looming bikini season coming up.  I took all of my current favorite seasonal vegetables and came up with this delicious and simple grilled asparagus and caprese salad. It is perfect for a spring or summer night!  

I found these gorgeous asparagus at my local farmers market that I could not pass up! I like to buy the stalkier asparagus whenever I am grilling them since they hold up better. I started by tossing them in olive oil and sprinkled them with sea salt before grilling for about 6-8 minutes.

While the asparagus were grilling, I prepped the rest of the ingredients. I found a mix of red and yellow cherry tomatoes that I sliced in half and mixed with good olive oil, red wine vinegar, and sea salt.

The next thing I did was finely slice some fresh basil leaves. I absolutely love the smell of fresh basil in the kitchen! It instantly makes me feel like I am in Italy making a fancy meal, even on the most ordinary of week nights. 

Assembling this dish is so incredibly easy. I started with the grilled asparagus as the bottom layer and then added in some feta cheese to the tomato mixture before I poured it on top. You could also use goat cheese, mozzarella, or cotija; these would all be amazing as well. 

The addition of the cheese breaks up all of the veggies and gives it a nice salty flavor. Once you sprinkle the cheese on top, it's time to enjoy it!

My husband and I enjoyed this dish along side grilled chicken but it would be a great side dish to any protein. The best part about grilling dinner is that it makes for super easy cleanup in the kitchen after (score!). 

Cheers to kicking off grilling season and warmer evenings! I would love to know what you think of this recipe, so be sure to comment below or on my Instagram. 

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Grilled Asparagus and Caprese Salad Recipe 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. fresh asparagus (about 2 bundles)
• 1 pint red and yellow cherry tomatoes 
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade or thinly sliced
• 2 oz. crumbled feta cheese (or goat cheese, mozzarella or cotija) 
• 4 Tbs. olive oil, divided 
• 1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. sea salt, divided
• Freshly cracked black pepper 

Directions:

1. Preheat the grill to 400 degrees. 
2. Wash and dry the asparagus. Remove the tough ends of the asparagus by snapping it at its tender point at the bottom. Drizzle 2 Tbs. of the olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. 
3. Spread the asparagus on the grill and grill for about 6-8 minutes, turning once until they are slightly charred. Remove from the grill and set aside. 
4. In a small bowl whisk 2 Tbs. of the olive oil with the red wine vinegar and 1/2 tsp. sea salt. Slice the tomatoes in half and add to the bowl. Chiffonade or thinly slice the basil and add to the bowl. Stir the mixture completely. 
5. To assemble, place the asparagus on the bottom and top with the tomato and basil mixture (down the center). Top with crumbled feta cheese and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve warm or cold and enjoy! 

Sweet Potato & Turkey Burger Sliders

With Super Bowl Sunday just days away, it got me thinking: what food are we going to serve? Let's be honest- it's all about the food, right? No matter what team you are cheering for, having good food that is not only delicious but easy to eat, is key. I also like to try to avoid filling up on food that completely weighs you down and has you in a food coma for days. That's when the idea of lightening up the classic cheeseburger popped into my mind. I used roasted sweet potatoes in place of traditional hamburger buns, and used ground turkey to create sweet potato sliders. They turned out to be a huge success, even for the pickiest of football fans in our house!

I started by slicing a Hannah sweet potato into 1/4 inch thick slices and brushed them on both sides with a good olive oil and salt and pepper. You can certainly use any type of sweet potato, this is just what I had on hand. And they do look like little hamburger buns :) 

You want to cook the sweet potatoes until they have slightly browned around the edges so that they hold up to the meat of the burger. You can also make these ahead of time and then just warm them back up in the oven for a few minutes when you are ready to serve them. 

We chose to use ground turkey and melted cheddar jack cheese on top, but you could use any ground meat and cheese combo that you'd like. 

I love to create a condiment station to house all of our favorite burger toppers. I stuck with the classics on this one, but the possibilities are endless. You could caramelize onions and mushrooms, bacon, pickles, and on and on! We used Sir Kensingonton's ketchup and mustard since they are all natural and my husband and I love them. 

You could either assemble the sliders and serve them on a platter, or you could create a burger bar for everyone to make their own. Since they are bite sized, I chose to preassemble ours with all the fixin's and they were a big hit! 

They are so incredibly fun to eat! My husband was a bit skeptical at first but pleasantly surprised that he didn't miss the traditional hamburger bun at all. And, you have a built-in side of fries :)

I hope you give these sweet potato sliders a try and love them as much as we did. Cheers to a fun Super Bowl Sunday filled with lots of delicious eats! 

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Sweet Potato & Turkey Burger Sliders 

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds of ground turkey (or other lean ground meat)
• 2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4 in. slices
• Sliced cheddar jack cheese, cut into small squares
• 1 Tbs. olive oil 
• Sea Salt
• Freshly ground pepper 
• Optional toppings: small thinly sliced tomatoes, lettuce torn into bite sized pieces, avocado slices, ketchup and mustard. 

Directions:

1. Shape ground meat into 8-10 mini patties. Size them according to the size of your sweet potato slices. Season them with salt and pepper and set aside. 
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the sweet potatoes into 1/4 in. thick slices. Brush with olive oil on both sides and season them with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes (flipping halfway through), or until the edges are slightly crispy. 
3. While the potatoes are cooking, heat a skillet with olive oil to medium high heat. Place the turkey patties in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until they are cooked all the way through. 
4. Assemble the burgers, placing the mini burger in between the two sweet potato slices and garnish with your favorite toppings! 

 

Grilled Cheese Sandwhich with Spinach and Prosciutto

As the seasons begin to transition, so do our cravings. Popsicles are replaced with warm baked goods, the BBQ is replaced with the slow cooker, and salads are replaced with warm sandwiches.  Sandwiches like this grilled cheese with spinach and prosciutto. 

The inspiration for this grilled cheese sandwich came from my recent trip to the farmers market. It felt like Fall was in the air (at least for the day) and I stumbled upon this gorgeous loaf of freshly baked sourdough bread that was just begging me to take it home. Being that my husband absolutely loves carbs in all forms, I knew he would be excited when I brought it home, let alone my plans for it. 

I picked up a fresh bag of spinach, and added my other two favorite ingredients of cheese and prosciutto and this made for a seriously amazing grilled cheese sandwich! The best grilled cheese sandwich I've ever had kind of amazing.

In my opinion, the key to a good grilled cheese sandwich (besides the gooey cheese) is good quality bread and butter. My favorite recent addition to my grilled cheese sandwich is topping them off with maldon salt. One of my girlfriends told me this secret and my grilled cheese sandwiches will never be the same. It takes them to a whole new level, you have got to try it!

When my husband and I were indulging in these for dinner, we were talking about how amazing these will be dunked in soup this winter. A nice creamy tomato or chicken broth based soup would be amazing in addition to these sandwiches.

The next time you're craving comfort food, are feeding a crowd or need something to dunk into your soup be sure to add this to your list- and don't forget the salt! 

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Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Spinach and Prosciutto

Ingredients:

• 2 slices (1/2 inch thick) rustic white bread
• 3 oz. shredded mozzerella cheese (or other white cheese)
• 6 fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1-2 paper-thin slices of prosciutto
• Butter
• Maldon salt

Directions:

1. Spread butter on the bottom and top half of the bread. Place a handful of the shredded cheese atop one of the slices of bread. Add the slices of prosciutto and spinach. Add the remaining handful of shredded cheese. Top with the second slice of bread, butter side up. 
2. Grease a cast iron skillet liberally with butter over medium heat. Grill the sandwich until the cheese has melted, about 4-5 minutes per side. Top with maldon salt and serve immediately and enjoy.

Salsa Verde: Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

We have been doing a lot of traveling and also hosting house guests this Summer, all of which I love, but there is nothing like coming home to my kitchen.  I always feel like I need to find my balance after a vacation, which usually consists of sleeping in my own bed, going for a long walk and cooking. After returning home from vacation this past weekend, I found myself getting reinspired in the kitchen. We received a bag of tomatillo's in our weekly Farm Fresh to You shipment, and I was dying to try homemade roasted tomatillo salsa!

I love how the husks are so delicate, yet so protective of the tomatillo. I had never cooked with them before and was surprised to find that when you peel them back, the tomatillo's have a nice green color and the husks are sticky on the inside.

I refer to this tomatillo salsa as the "windex" condiment since it can go on nearly everything! I have always been a fan of the store bought Trader Joe's salsa verde mainly because it has great flavor so I wanted to replicate those flavors while cleaning up the ingredients.

Besides the fact that this salsa can pretty much go on anything, it is incredibly simple to make! I roasted the tomatillo's and the peppers on a sheet tray under the broiler to give it that nice color and great depth of flavor. Once you remove them from the oven, you place all (four) of the ingredients into a blender and let it work its magic. 

You'll find that the final product is smooth with the perfect balance of flavors. The best part about making your own salsa, is that you can control the heat and sodium. My husband and I are total wimps when it comes to spicy foods, so I removed most of the seeds from the pepper before I put it in the blender for a more mild heat. However, if heat is your thing, the seeds add a nice kick. 

If you can help yourself from going straight for the chip dunk (clearly I could barely resist), this salsa is amazing on everything from eggs for breakfast, my quinoa fajita bowls, fish taco's, salads, enchilada's and the list goes on. This versatile salsa is definitely a must try! 

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Salsa Verde: Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Recipe

Yields: about 1 Cup

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces ( 5-6 medium) tomatillo's, husked and rinsed

• 1-2 serrano of jalapeno peppers, stemmed

• 6 sprigs fresh cilantro (this stems removed), roughly chopped

• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion (optional)

• Sea salt 

Directions:

1. Preheat a broiler 

2. Place the tomatillos and peppers on a greased baking sheet lined with tinfoil under the broiler until darkly roasted, even blackened in spots, about 5 minutes. Flip them over and roast the other side, an additional 5 minutes until blackened and blistered.

3. In a blender of food processor, combine the tomatillos and peppers, including the juices from cooking. Add the cilantro and 1/4 cup of water and a pinch of salt. Blend to a course puree and pour into a serving dish. Add the chopped onion (optional) and stir into salsa and season with salt (about a 1/4 teaspoon). 

*This recipe was adapted from the Food Network 

Pear, Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Two Ways

Pear, prosciutto and goat cheese were three staples when my husband and I went to Italy a couple years ago (and pizza, bread and more cheese). I wanted to recreate this winning combo for some easy entertaining. I am showing you two ways you can make it. The first way can either be served as an appetizer, salad or with the main course. The second way is a finger food appetizer. Both are equally amazing and both can make you feel like you're in Italy. 

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Pear, Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Salad 

Ingredients for Both: Makes approx. 1 plated serving each

• 1 pear, washed
• Handful of arugula 
• 3 slices of prosciutto (thinly sliced)
• Goat Cheese 
• Olive oil
• Course sea Salt (Maldon) and fresh cracked pepper 

Thinly slice the pear horizontally and arrange on the plate. Delicately place the thinly sliced prosciutto on top of the pears. In a bowl, toss a handful of arugula with olive oil and sprinkle on top of the pears. Top with dollops of goat cheese, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper. 

Pear, Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Appetizer

Cut the pear into quarters. Put 1 dollop of goat cheese and some arugula in the middle of the pear and wrap with a piece of thinly sliced prosciutto. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. 

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